Both the Shulchan Aruch Harav and the Mishnah Brurah use similar terminology when describing the importance of the shin being "pointy" on the bottom and all three branches of the letter shin meeting at a point or "chad" at the bottom of the letter. There is a strong foundation in Halacha for this and for the bottom of the shin to be flat like a moshav (base) is considered questionable (Pri Megadim) and definitely not Kosher Lechatchillah. It is worse if the moshav is very wide, but it is still questionable if it is lechatchillah if there is a thick noticeable base rather than a chad. Even for Sephardim, who lechatchillah make an angular base, it is still important that the base is indeed on a (significant) angle. If the base is flat, even if all three branches of the shin come out of the base connected , as in the top picture, it is problematic. It is worse in the bottom picture below where the right head/ branch comes out of the right part of the base and the m
There is no hallachic problem, it is just the cavod of the aron/sifrei tora. So if possible some alternative cover should be used, if possible and honourable. If not, I dont see a reason not to take down the paroches to fix it.
ReplyDeleteWhen the Aron Kodesh have peroches hanging from the inside while the doors are from the outside is this also acceptable according to the minhag?
ReplyDeleteThe paroches is on the inside in yeshivas Ponevezh so apparently it is fine.
ReplyDelete